On
December 6, 1941 the United States Government committed $2 billion dollars
to the Manhattan Project to build a secret bomb. At that time, only
a few scientists around the globe believed it was theoretically possible.
In four short years it became a reality and was a significant factor
in bringing an end to World War II.

Hungarian
physicist Leo Szilard realizes that, "if we could find an
element which is split by neutrons, and which would emit two neutrons
when it absorbs one, such an element could sustain a nuclear chain
reaction."

1934

Enrico
Fermi of Italy irradiates uranium with neutrons. He believes he
has produced the first transuranic element, but unknowingly achieves
the world's first nuclear fission.

June
28 and July 4, 1934

Leo
Szilard files a patent application for the atomic bomb. The patent
described the concept of using neutron induced chain reactions
to create explosions.

Albert
Einstein's first letter to President Franklin Roosevelt. The letter,
originally drafted by Leo Szilard states "that the element
uranium may be turned into a new and important source of energy
in the immediate future."

September
1, 1939

With
"Operation Weiss", Germany invades Poland and World
War II begins. American papers call it a Blitzkrieg or "lightening
war" because of the speed and efficiency of the attack.

1940

The
University of California begins building a giant cyclotron under
the direction of Ernest O. Lawrence.

December
6, 1941

The
day before the bombing of Pearl Harbor, President Roosevelt authorizes
the Manhattan Engineering District with $2 billion to build the
atom bomb.

September 23,
1942

Colonel
Leslie Groves is promoted to Brigadier-General and put in charge
of the Manhattan Project. He recruits J. Robert Oppenheimer as
Scientific Director.

December
2, 1942

At
the University of Chicago, in a squash court under Stagg Field,
Enrico Fermi and his team produce the world's first controlled
and self-sustained nuclear fission reaction.

November 29, 1943

The
US Military begin remodeling the B-29 bomber for the delivery
of the A-bomb. Bomb's sizes are decided: "Thin Man"
representing Roosevelt and "Fat Boy" for Churchill.

July 17, 1944

Important
military port in the San Francisco Bay goes up in a horrific explosion
killing 323 men, disintegrating two ships and an entire train.
Calculations and declassified documents lead to a possible US
test firing of a nuclear weapon.

April
12, 1945

Franklin
Roosevelt dies, and Harry S. Truman becomes the 33rd President
of the United States. April 25th, Truman is briefed about the
Manhattan Project and the development of the bomb.

May 7, 1945

Soon
after Adolf Hitler killed himself, German General Alfred Johl
signed the unconditional surrender of all German forces on all
fronts, ending tWorld War II for Europe.

June
14, 1945

The
Franck Committee Report - with its request that the bomb be demonstrated
to Japan before being used on civilians - is taken to Fermi, Lawrence
and Oppenheimer.

July 16, 1945

Trinity
Test at Alamogordo, New Mexico: exploding with a 18,000 Ton TNT
equivalence.